Improvement in apparatus for atomizing, inhaling, and injecting liquids and gases



WILUAM R. LEONARD. Improvement in Apparatus for Atomizing, inhaling,

and injecting Liquids and Gases.

Patented April 23, 1872..

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WILLIAM R. LEONARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR ATOMlZlNG. INHALING, AND INJECTING LIQUIDSAND GASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,965, dated April23, 1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. LEONARD, of the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in SteamInjecting, Inhaling, and Atomizin g Apparatus for Medicinal Purposes, ofwhich the following is a specification:

This invention is designed to include in one apparatus devices which maybe used for various medicinal purposes. It embraces devices forgenerating steam for inhalation, for injection, and for atomizing, theparts being so arranged that the steam-generator may operate inconnection with either the atomizing-tubes or with the devices forinhalation, whether used or not in conjunction with the atomizer or withthe devices for injecting.

The nature of my invention will be readily understood by reference tothe accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe atomizin g portion of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a like view of theapparatus arranged for the inhalation of steam or any medicament withoutthe use of the atomizer. Fig. 3 is a like view of the apparatus arrangedfor use in injecting into the nose or ear steam or a medicament.

The boiler or steam-generator A, represented in all three of the figuresreferred to, is of any suitable shape, provided with a safety-valve, a,to prevent undue steam pressure, and with a hollow shoulder or aprojecting tube, 1), intended to connect with the various tubes whichmay be applied to it. The boiler is also filled through this tube. Theboiler is supported on a suitable case, B, made of brass, within whichis put the lamp by which the boiler is heated. The case B I attach, forconvenience sake, to a base plate, (3, at the other end of which isplaced a standard, 1), for the purpose hereinafter stated.

The atomizin g portion of the apparatus is shown in Fig. 1. It consistsof the tube d, of any suitable material, adapted to fit at one end intoor upon the boiler-pipe b by a slip joint, and having its other enddrawn down to a point so as to allow only a fine jet of steam to escape.Connected with the steam-tube, by a branch or arm, 6, is a tubularholder or socket, f, placed at about right angles with the steam-tube,and designed to receive a glass tube, f, whose lower end dips into themedicine or other liquid to be atomized, and whose upper end is drawninto a point, which should be slightly flattened in order that the steammay not blow it oh". The point of the glass tube should extend up to thepoint of the steam-tube, and, when thus arranged, the jet of steam,blowing directly across the top of the glass tube, will cause the liquidinto which the glass tube dips to be drawn up and atomized in the usualway. I prefer to make the tubular holder f of spring metal, and to splitit longitudinally to allow the glass tube to be easily inserted orwithdrawn. This arrangement permits the use of a removable glass tube,which is cheaper and more desirable than a tube of other material, asacids and minerals will not attack it.

For the purpose of allowing the inhalation of the spray I employ a glassmouth-tube, g, with a flaring end next to the atomizer, to shield theface. This tube is fastened by a band of vulcanized rubber or by othersuitable means to the top of standard D, and as its mouth is close tothe points of the atomizing tubes, the steam does not condense on it,but blows through it, and therefore does not require a glass to receivethe dripping. The mouth-tube is flattened throughout its whole length toallow it to go further back into the mouth than it could were itcylindrical without producing gagging and other unpleasant sen--sations. This tube is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3,- and 4.

In Fig. 2 the boiler is used with another portion of the apparatus,consisting of a faceshield, G, and a tube, h, connecting said shieldwith the boiler. This face-shield is made of hard rubber or othersuitable material, and is so shaped as to cover the nose and mouth. Itconnects at X with the tubing, and has at the top a hole, 3 throughwhich air may be admitted, if desired, although, if a low pressure ofsteam is kept up, the hole may be closed witha cork. This face-shield isfor the purpose of enabling the patient to inhale steam or anymedicament. By placing inside the shield, and over the steam apparatus,a sponge saturated with any medicament, the steam passing from theboiler through the tube into the faceshield will reach the mouth in thecondition of a warm medicated vapor, adapted for treating therespiratory organs, and especially adapted for the treatment of croup,as steam is brought directly to the nose and mouth and air is excluded,if desired. The tubingh is connected with the boiler either by beingfitted over the end of the steam tube cl of the atomizer, the glass tubehaving been previously withdrawn from its socket, or the steam-atomizingtube may be disconnected from the boiler and the tubing 71. fitted onthe projecting pipe b.

To use the apparatus for purposes of injection, remove the inhalingdevices and substitute therefor the device shown in Fig. 3. I prefer toconstruct this as follows: I make a branch tube, 2', preferably ofglass, though other material may be use 1. To one branch of this tube isattached a flexilble tube, j, which at its other end is fitted on he endof pipe (I or on the pipe I), if d beremoved. To the other branch isattached flexible tubing 7: connected with a bag-syringe, Z. To thefront of tube 1' is attached flexible tubing m, terminating in ahardrubber chamber, a, whoseconstruction is shown more clearly in Fig.5. This chamber is composed of two parts screwing together, the one partconnecting with the tubing m, and the other with a detachablescrew-nozzle or tube, made preferably of hard rubber. I use two nozzlesor tubes, the one 0 designed to connect with the Eustachian catheter toblow steam into the middle ear, and the other 19 to blow steam ormedicated vapor through the nostrils. The hard-rubber chamber isdesigned to hold sponge, which may be either saturated with somemedicament or not, according to the treatment required.

When the apparatus is in use, steam passes from the boiler through thetubing and medicated or plain sponge in the hard-rubber chamber into thepart in which the nozzle on the chamber is inserted, the bag-syringe Zbeing used, if necessary, to force the vapor forward. This portion ofthe apparatus may be advantageously used for the treatment of chronicaural catarrh, which produces deafness. A

hard rubber Eustachian catheter, such as shown in Fig. 6, is introducedthrough the nose;

one of the nozzles of the hard-rubber chamber eration substantially asherein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the boiler and its pipe I), of the detachablesteam-atomizing tube united with pipe I) by a slip-joint, and providedwith a holder or socket to receive the tube through which the liquid tobe atomized is drawn up, substantially as shown in Fig. 1 of theaccompanying drawing, and as herein described.

3. The injecting apparatus, substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawing, consisting of the branch tube of glass orother materialprovided with flexible tubing connected with a bag-syringe, and ahard-rubber sponge-chamber and nozzle, and adapted to be connected witha boiler or steam-generator, substantially as set forth.

4. The glass mouth-tube and shield, made substantially as herein shownand describedthat is to say, flattened or made oval throughout itsentire length, and provided at one end with a flange forming a shield,as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification beforetwo subscribing wit- Witnesses:

HOW'ARD CHURCHILL, GEORGE 0. Simmons.

